In today’s workplace, whether that be at home or an in-person environment, things can easily get stressful and overwhelming. This is why employers have been getting more creative with finding ways to keep employees engaged and stress free!
Among many employee benefits, workplace yoga, both at the office and online at the home office, is gaining huge popularity. It is primarily offered at larger corporations such as Apple and Google, but smaller organizations are quickly adopting it as well. Workplace yoga has been shown to offer a cost effective solution with a big impact for employees and employers.
Why are so many companies turning to workplace yoga to engage employees?
In addition to improving overall fitness and flexibility, yoga has been known to be one of the most effective exercises in reducing chronic stress. Studies by the American Heart Association and others have found that those who do yoga regularly are calmer than those who don’t. Yoga reduces levels of cortisol— our stress hormone— and it can help to improve productivity, efficiency, concentration, and creativity.
Most yoga practices not only focus on the body, but also the breath. Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. When you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. According to the National Institute of Health, breath work helps lower blood pressure through relaxing the body, improves the ability to concentrate, and helps create an overall feeling of wellbeing by triggering the release of endorphins.
For the employers, offering activities such as workplace yoga to employees can increase job satisfaction, mindfulness, and overall wellbeing of employees. It can be a big help in reducing employee turnover, healthcare costs, all while improving employee engagement. Yoga at work is a win-win for companies, bosses and their employees and an essential addition to any company’s wellness program!
For more information, visit the American Heart Association’s website.